‘Men’ Review: Alex Garland’s intricate folklore masterpiece
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(Credits: Far Out / A24 / Universal Pictures YouTube)
You can now stay at the stunning isolated mansion from ‘Ex-Machina’
Alex Garland’s Ex-Machina is one of the most thought-provoking science fiction films of the 21 century. It asks what separates man from machine and man from God when you bring the creation of sentient machines into the equation, a pertinent one that has only grown in intensity since the movie was released in 2014. To date, Ex-Machina is Garland’s finest work, with Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, and Oscar Isaac all dazzling in their respective roles.
One of the most striking things about the film is the setting, conveying the increased dystopia of our society. We find Nathan Bateman, the genius CEO of global search engine company Blue Book, living in a luxurious but isolated home where he is conducting experiments on the creepy humanoid robot Ava.
Backed by dense greenery, imposing mountains, and inviting yet surging rapids, this was the perfect visual ballast for the film’s themes to come to life, heightening the paranoia that protagonist Caleb Smith starts to experience as Ava and Nathan play their respective games. The minimalist beauty of the setting captures the idea that humans are losing the game against their creations and that when it comes down to it, they will usurp us, and the garden of Eden, as the striking vistas of the setting indicate, will be theirs.
The most remarkable thing about the mysterious home of Nathan Bateman in Ex-Machina is that it is a genuine establishment and one that is open to the public. It is the minimalist Juvet Landscape Hotel in Valldal, Norway, and its architects Jensen and Skodvin purposely wanted to make the hotel feel integrated with nature, fitting for the 2001: A Space Odyssey-esque themes of Garland’s script.
Set in a rural village in northwestern Norway, just like in the film, Juvet Landscape Hotel is surrounded by majestic mountains that convey the mystical essence of Norway’s iconic mythologies and fairytales. It’s a setting for a hotel unlike any other and one that the most intrepid of explorers, who have a penchant for skiing, hiking, climbing, and kayaking, should book themselves in. Costing around £340 for two people, it may be expensive, but there’s a reason that every visitor gives it full marks, there is no place like it.
The Juvet Hotel comprises nine wood-panelled pods spread throughout the woods in Valldal and split into three separate categories. They are The Writer’s Lodge, Landscape Rooms, and Bird Houses, with up to two guests able to stay in each pod, which makes for a very intimate experience. For some of the pods, visitors need to cross a steel bridge above the rapids seen in the film, with the white foam angrily lapping across the sides utterly hypnotising.
Incredibly private, as the film shows, the transparent walls are all angled in different directions, maximising privacy whilst also giving you an experience like no other, as transparent walls aren’t exactly common, with the flecks of Blade Runner readily apparent. As you peer around the corner, you half expect Roy Batty or Ava to be there, throwing another perplexing question your way.
Added to this sense that everyone staying here is Caleb, the natural materials used for the cabins, such as concrete and reclaimed wood, are aesthetically rather austere, a far cry away from the magnolia walls of a standard hotel in the middle of a city. Brilliantly, the cold sentiment of the main rooms is juxtaposed by the bright yellows of the bathrooms, saving you from the cabin fever that might set in if staying here alone.
Although the Juvet Landscape Hotel might seem sterile in places, it is quite the opposite. Each room has an inviting fireplace that lights the place up, kicking out heat and a comforting white glow that bounces off the striking views outside the great windows. Breakfast and dinner are also served in The Barn. This is where visitors from all over the world sit communally at the long table, offering a range of local specialities.
Furthermore, for those plotting world domination with the creation of a morally questionable humanoid such as Ava, there’s The Conference Room that looks onto the rapids and forest, a calming view as the risks of creating something with the potential to change the course of history weighing on your mind.